GRAND RAPIDS, MI — For Kathleen Ley, there is ample evidence that lawmakers in Michigan and across the country have launched a veritable “war on women.”

It was perhaps all too timely that Ley, spokesperson for Stop the War on Women Grand Rapids, was discussing the group’s recent push with 18 billboards across the metro area the same day controversial remarks about rape by an Indiana Senate candidate came to light.

“Yeah, that’s why we exist,” Ley said of the comments by Richard Mourdock that seemed to suggest pregnancy resulting from rape was a “gift from God,” and an impermissible reason for an abortion.

Mourdock’s comments came during a debate Tuesday, Oct. 23, with his Democratic and Libertarian challengers.

His campaign almost immediately attempted to clarify his statement, and said critics had misinterpreted the remarks to mean something more sinister than they did.

Still, occurring just months after Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin made headline-grabbing remarks about pregnancy resulting from rape, the story has started snowballing in the national media.

Ley, however, suggested the comments were less than surprising.

“There have been politicians making comments like that, but not even making comments, legislating these views for the past 12 to 18 months,” Ley said.

“With all due respect, anyone can have a heartfelt believe that conception as a result from rape is a gift from God,” she added. “He cannot legislate that. And he does not belong in the Senate. Nobody who believes that belongs in the Senate.”

What began as a campaign kicked off in May this year to rally women voters against what local organizers said is political meddling with women’s economic, reproductive and other issues is culminating with a pre-Election Day push.

To broaden its message, Stop the War on Women Grand Rapids has purchased 18 billboards and 16 “bus boards” on Rapid buses.

The signs are meant to encourage women voters to thoroughly research candidates and the issues before casting a ballot on Nov. 6.

The campaign is using three different designs aimed at heightening attention on issues they said would have vast negative impacts on women’s rights.

Among them is a package of abortion-related bills introduced earlier this year in the state Legislature that, among other things, would have required women to get an ultrasound before obtaining an abortion.

The bill package cleared the state House, but not before garnering substantial national attention. It is not expected to budge in the state Senate until after the Nov. 6 election.

“You have all of this going on, hopefully they (women) will make their voices heard and let people know we’re not going to tolerate this anymore,” said Bette Sebastian, who came up with the Stop the War on Women billboard campaign.

The group’s advocacy extends beyond the state, though, to include issues such as the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, aimed at ensuring equal pay for women, and a federal mandate that employers provide birth control to women employees at no cost.

Such issues have led pundits to trumpet this year’s election as one where women voters will make up one of the most important voting blocs.

“We are responding to what is a clear effort to set women back 50, 60 years,” Ley said. “It’s good that we’re talking about these issues if we’re going to have an intelligent, honest conversation. I think in lots of places, we are.”

Local response to the Stop the War on Women campaign has run both ways, organizers said. As for the billboard campaign, Sebastian said “it might raise somebody’s attention in a negative or positive way, but it raises attention.”

And, she added, “it will get people out to vote.”

The billboards, which are scheduled to stay in place until Election Day, serve their purpose only to a point, Ley said.

The advocacy might have to continue, she said, depending on the election’s outcome.

“We’ll have to see what happens on Nov. 6,” Ley said, “and hopefully, this avalanche of anti-women bills will abate and our efforts won’t be needed. But time will tell.”